Pharmacology
Pharmacology studies how substances act on living organisms: active compounds, doses, therapeutic and toxic effects. In The Apothecary Diaries, it is the heart of Maomao's expertise, as she doses remedies and poisons, understands interactions and reads the trace of a molecule in a patient's symptoms.
Entries in this discipline
Activated Charcoal
In The Apothecary Diaries, Maomao gives activated charcoal in an emergency. Why does it work? How does adsorption trap toxins? Its real limits.
Bear Bile
Why did bear bile, a traditional TCM remedy, lead to a modern drug? UDCA dissolves gallstones and treats the liver.
The Dandelion
In The Apothecary Diaries, Maomao identifies dandelion as a medicinal herb. We explain its diuretic properties, its inulin, and its culinary uses.
Datura
In The Apothecary Diaries, datura is used to induce sleep and feign death. We explain its alkaloids, its toxicity, and its role in the history of anesthesia.
Earthworms in Medicine
Maomao thinks of earthworms as a fever remedy. We explain dilong in traditional Chinese medicine and the lumbrokinases studied in modern pharmacology.
Emmenagogue and Abortive Plants
Jasmine, mugwort, rue, chili pepper: were these plants, said to trigger periods or end a pregnancy, really effective? The history and pharmacology behind them.
Galenic Formulations
In The Apothecary Diaries, an ointment gets prepared. We explain galenics: how a medicine's form determines how an active ingredient is absorbed.
Ginger
In The Apothecary Diaries, Maomao prepares ginger pastilles to keep warm. We explain gingerol, TRPV1, and Chinese pharmacopoeia.
Kudzu
In The Apothecary Diaries, over-concentrated kudzu turns into glue. We explain kuzu starch, its medicinal uses, and its invasion beyond Asia.
Mandarin Peel
In The Apothecary Diaries, an infusion of mandarin peel. We explain chen pi, its flavonoids, its essential oils, and what modern science confirms.
The Mantis Ootheca
In The Apothecary Diaries, mantis eggs are seen as an aphrodisiac. We describe the ootheca, its structure, and its use in Chinese medicine.
Mugwort
In The Apothecary Diaries, mugwort is one of the court's medicinal herbs. We explain its uses and artemisinin, Tu Youyou's antimalarial drug (Nobel 2015).
Nicotine and Tobacco
In The Apothecary Diaries, macerated tobacco serves as a poison. We explain nicotine, its acute toxicity, and why diluting a poison can make it worse.
Tea and Caffeine
In The Apothecary Diaries, Maomao prescribes tea for its diuretic effects. We explain caffeine, theanine, and how far this strategy really goes.